Where do you go when you're lonely?
by alienangel19852003
Summary: Every since they were kids Haley had always run to Lucas whenever she had a problem and he always seemed to say or do the right thing. Haley and Nathan are having serious problems in their relationship, and Lucas can’t seem to get Haley off his mind. What
1. Laley Beginnings

Title: Where do you go when you're lonely?

Author: alienangel19852003

Rating: T, language and partying

Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the characters from OTH otherwise I wouldn't have to be looking for a job this week now would I?

Summary: Every since they were kids Haley had always run to Lucas whenever she had a problem and he always seemed to say or do the right thing. Haley and Nathan are having serious problems in their relationship, and Lucas can't seem to get Haley off his mind. What happens when she shows up at his house upset and he just can't hold back his feelings for her?

Prologue

It was the first day of school and four year old Haley James was lost, but she didn't want her older sister to know. Taylor, who was three years older, would think Haley was a baby and she would make fun of her in front of everyone.

Everything her parents had told her about school turned out to be wrong and what Taylor had said to her in what she thought was an attempt to scare her turned out to be right on.

She didn't really know anyone and she wasn't allowed to go where the big kids were even if she wanted to find Taylor, so she sat alone on a bench. She was bored and everyone else seemed to be having so much fun. She saw a group of girls playing and spinning in circles playing games. Boys were playing with dirt or kicking a ball around.

But there was one boy who wasn't with them; he was standing alone by the trees, watching her. It was something she knew she'd remember for years to come, the way he stared at her his green eyes seemed to really see her the way none of the other kids on the playground had they'd all bypassed her like she was invisible, and she'd started to think she was or that something was wrong with her.

She was about to tell him that staring at people was rude when someone else sat down on the bench, it was an older girl she'd never seen before with raven hair and dark eyes, she was thin and pale.

"This is my spot." The girl told her.

"I­­­­­­­­­­­–I didn't know," Haley stuttered trying to get off the bench but she couldn't move fast enough.

"You didn't see my name on it? Or are you another one of those kindergarten babies who can't read?" the girl asked.

"I can so read!" Haley declared, she could read extremely well for a girl who was four going on five.

"Well why did you sit here if you read my name on the bench?" the girl asked.

"I didn't know…" Haley said.

"If I catch you here again, you're going to get it, the name's Nikki remember it." The girl said pushing Haley away; Haley lost footing and fell face down in the dirt.

She could hear laughter in her ears, all of her classmates were laughing and Nikki laughed the loudest of all. She didn't pick herself up immediately, she spat out the dirt and pulled herself up so she was kneeling and just sobbed for all she was worth, she hated school so much.

She felt hands on her shoulders, and she thought maybe Nikki was going to just finish her off, but she opened her and gazed into those intense green eyes of the boy who had been staring at her before.

"That girl won't bother you no more." He told her.

She looked over to see Nikki, running away from there.

"You didn't hit her did you?" she asked.

"No, my mom says I'm not supposed to hit a girl, or anyone really, fighting is for the immature, she says. I told her I'd tell on her." he told her.

"Oh," Haley said.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine, just dirty, my mommy will be mad but I'm okay." Haley said.

"I'm glad you're okay," He said finally smiling.

"Thank you for helping me, my name is Haley."

"I'm Lucas," He told her.

"Lucas, how come you were looking at me funny?" She asked.

He shrugged his shoulders, "You were all by yourself and I thought you were pretty."

Haley blushed and he pulled her to her feet, and from that day they were inseparable. Lucas became Haley's best friend; it was the most natural thing in the world, until they grew up.


	2. Present

Title: Where do you go when you're lonely?

Author: alienangel19852003

Rating: T, language and partying

Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the characters from OTH otherwise I wouldn't have to be looking for a job this week now would I?

Summary: Every since they were kids Haley had always run to Lucas whenever she had a problem and he always seemed to say or do the right thing. Haley and Nathan are having serious problems in their relationship, and Lucas can't seem to get Haley off his mind. What happens when she shows up at his house upset and he just can't hold back his feelings for her?

Chapter 1

13 years later…

Things had changed over the years and Haley grew from a precocious kindergartener into a stunning woman, she never expected things to turn out this way. She didn't think she'd be married at seventeen and on the straddling a potential divorce and a potential chance to make it in the music industry. Because she had married a stubborn Scott man there was no way for her to have both.

Haley had always dreamed in her heart of hearts of become a Michelle Branch, or a Kelly Clarkson, or she'd even settle for being a Avirl Lavigne. She was a good singer she wouldn't call herself a great singer, she lacked the confidence for all that. She hadn't given it much thought outside of her fantasies of actually making as a singer, until Nathan signed her up for a performance at TRIC the other act bombed out and out of loyalty to Peyton Haley had come through and sung a few songs.

Which lead to an upcoming singer, Chris Keller to offering his help to make her into a better singer. Chris' involvement led to this particular argument.

"You're the one who wanted me to do this in the first place. Why are you upset that I'm pursuing my dream?" Haley demanded of her husband.

"Upset, Haley make no mistake. I'm a bit more than upset I'm pissed off. You keep spending all this time with a guy who is obviously into you even though you're MARRIED!" Nathan said.

"Chris does not have a thing for me. He is interested in me because I have talent." Haley told him.

"He's just chasing something pretty." Nathan said.

"You're being an ass Nathan." Haley told him getting her purse.

"You're going to see him aren't you?" Nathan asked taking sip of the beer he had on the table.

"We have a recording session. And I'm tired of listening to you scream at me." Haley said nonchalantly pretending that Nathan's lack of trust in her didn't hurt her.

"If you walk out that door, be prepared for what will happen to us and this relationship if you do." Nathan said.

"Is that a threat?" Haley asked.

"No Haley it's a promise, and I don't break my promises." Nathan said heading into the kitchen no doubt to retrieve another beer.

Haley sighed, she hated when he acted this way. He'd been drinking again, with some of the guys from the shop.

"You promised me that you wouldn't drink anymore!" Haley shouted after him.

"You promised me a lot of things lately and you haven't been coming through at all. It takes everything in me to trudge out and do these crap jobs that I hate just to keep a roof over our heads. And then I have to put up with these… recording sessions… I know you're sleeping with him. I'm not stupid, and I'm sure as hell not blind." Nathan said walking back out.

Haley couldn't breathe it hurt so much, and in that moment she realized that she had made a mistake. She couldn't keep back the choked sob that came out seconds later.

"Nathan…" she whispered taking a step back and just staring at him with tears rolling down her cheeks her hand over her heart.

"I have never been with anyone else. I can't believe you're accusing me…" Haley said, her heart felt like it was literally breaking.

"I would NEVER cheat on you Nathan. My God! You are my world. I gave up so much to be here to do this, everyone said that it wouldn't work but I loved you…" She said knowing she was using past tense for their love, she didn't love him anymore, and she couldn't love someone who didn't trust her.

"Who said it wouldn't work?"

"Everyone! They don't really have to say it I can see it in their eyes when they look at us! They know we don't belong together! I tried to convince myself that if we loved each other it would be enough, but it isn't." Haley said wiping tears away and walking out the door leaving her husband drunk and slack jawed.

She walked and walked and somehow she ended up at the River Court. She didn't exactly go looking for Lucas, she didn't decided to go out there either it just happened. She found him there sitting on the picnic table, and she could help feeling instantly better just from looking at him. He'd always been there, he'd always been her rock and she needed him now.

* * *

Lucas was instantly on his feet rushing toward Haley. He enveloped her in a hug and she melted into him sobbing, and babbling out the whole story. When she was done he wiped her tears away, he had been afraid of this. He had been afraid to get close to her like that and even more afraid that his asshat little brother would hurt her. 

"I was hoping this wouldn't happen," Lucas said, although he knew a part of him did hope for it just so he could have a second chance with Haley.

He had always been in love with her his whole life every since he'd saw her in kindergarten the thing was he'd only realized it when he knew he couldn't have her. He'd tried to be happy for them and be supportive but he knew, he knew it wasn't going to work out. Not because Nathan was a good guy, it was because Nathan didn't trust anyone, having to grow up with Dan for a father Lucas couldn't really blame him.

They hadn't been together and really known each other long enough for Nathan to know Haley as well as Lucas did and he couldn't really blame Nathan, he was just as insecure, but he would never accuse Haley of cheating no matter how insecure he felt, because he knew her and he knew she'd never do anything like that.

"But you knew too… that things wouldn't work between Nathan and I?" she asked in barely a whisper her beautiful honey colored eyes filled with new tears.

"Haley–" he started.

"–Your just like Brooke and Peyton and even Karen. You all looked at us and you knew and none of you told me before–before he broke my heart." Haley said angrily.

"I'm sorry Hales, I really am."

"You don't get to call me Hales when I'm mad at you." She stated firmly.

It hurt him when she was mad at him, it made him want to confess everything he had been feeling and let her know the real reason he'd left for Charleston.

"I couldn't tell you Haley,"

"Why? You didn't want me to get hurt? It's too damn late for that Lucas." Haley said.

"I couldn't tell you because I didn't want to be the one ruin things between you and Nathan."

"Why couldn't you tell me Lucas?" She asked.

"It's not the right time. I shouldn't." Lucas said but the way she was looking up at him he didn't know how long he could go without spilling the secret.

"Forget the right time and just tell me or I'll leave I've got to go meet Chris." She said acting like she was going to get off the table.

"Haley, I didn't want to be the guy to ruin things between you and Nathan even though I knew there was a big chance it wouldn't work. Because I'm in love with you. I realized this way too late, and I didn't want to mess up another relationship like I did mine and Brooke's."

"What?" she asked, he could tell that was the last thing she expected to hear from him.

"I'm in love with you Haley, I've been in love with you my whole life. I just didn't realize it until you were gone." Lucas said.

"I haven't gone anywhere Lucas, I'm right here." Haley said.

"I know that, but you're married to my brother. This isn't Kentucky you know and Nathan and I are working on our relationship as brothers. I couldn't do that to him. And I'm so sick of all the love triangle crap in Tree Hill." Lucas said.

"I've been in love with you too Lucas, you hurt me when you chased after every girl but me, I was so tired of it. And when Nathan came along I fell for him he was interested in me and he's a lot like you, strong, sweet at times and stubborn to a fault. But it's always been you Lucas." Haley said leaning dangerously close.

"I can't kiss you tonight, not until you figure out what you want. And not until you talk to Nathan and Chris, he's got a thing for you too." Lucas told her.

"Ugh! Why does everyone think Chris has a thing for me?"

Lucas shot her a look, "Do you need a place to crash tonight?" he asked.

"Sleepover?" she asked.

"Strictly platonic. You can take my bed and I'll get the couch." Lucas said.

"Alright… I'm just not ready to go back to the apartment." Haley said.

Lucas noticed she wasn't calling it home anymore, when something happened to Haley, she took it hard dealt with it right then and didn't regret it later. Once someone hurt heras badly as Nathan had it wasn't muchcoming back from that, he thought Brooke was pissed off at him before it was nothing like the hell Nathan was about go through.

Haley wasn't about to make sarcastic comments and wallow in self pity, she was going to leave. Which would hurt more than any revenge scenarios any women scorned could come up with Haley was one of the amazing people he knew, he couldn't imagine what it would be like to lose her after having her like the way Nathan had. Lucas made himself the solemn vow that he wouldn't and he was going to stick to it.


	3. Protecting Haley

**Thanks for all the reviews you are far too kind…. Here's the second chapter.**

Chapter 2

Lucas didn't take the couch as he originally intended, they ended up talking all night and sharing his bed in a platonic sense. Haley talked and he listened, they finally fell asleep just before dawn. Not surprisingly they slept through Lucas' alarm and they didn't wake up until his mother came in to draw the shades and started yelling at them. The only words Lucas's muddled mind could process were, "–with your brother's wife!"

Haley sat up, "Karen! Lucas and I didn't sleep together; we just slept together like when were kids nothing happened."

"That's just the thing Haley, you two aren't kids anymore. You have a husband, and Lucas is having a hard enough time making things right with Peyton and Brooke." Karen said.

"I know but Nathan and I had a fight last night, because he doesn't trust me. I can't be with someone who doesn't trust me." Haley said.

"Maybe part of the reason he doesn't trust you is because you sneak out to climb into bed with Lucas." Karen said.

"Mom, this is the first time this has happened since we were thirteen, nothings going on I swear." Lucas said.

"You two don't seem to understand other people are going to get hurt because you just up and decided you wanted to be together. You have to consider Nathan, Brooke, and even Peyton before you do anything. You can't let things get as bad as they did last year. They might not recover from it this time." Karen told them.

"You're right I need to talk to Nathan." Haley said.

"Do you need me to come along?" Lucas asked.

"It could make things worse." Haley said, "Besides I think he's probably at school, I'll just take this time to pack and find some place to go. I'll talk to him when he comes in to get ready for work."

"Are you going to give up on your marriage that easily?" Karen asked.

"I don't know what else to do; I can't stay with him knowing how I feel about Lucas and how he feels about me. I've hung in there as long as I could thinking things would get better thinking that just because he loved me that one day I would feel for him what I've always felt for Lucas. I put it with a lot of things from him, but when he accused me of cheating, it was over. I made a mistake, and now I must deal with the consequences." Haley said.

Karen smiled, "Well, you can stay here if you like. Provided the two of you don't carry on sleeping in the same bed."

"Thank you." Haley said.

"That not sleeping in the same bed does not count on movie night does it?" Lucas said.

Karen rolled her eyes and walked out of the room.

Haley moved to get out of bed but Lucas grabbed her hand, "I've got to go back to the apartment and start packing, we've already missed three classes today. Will you go and get the notes from Mouth for me?"

"For which class?"

"History, English, Science, and the assignment from Math." Haley said.

"I'll get them. Hales, you know you don't have to do this alone." Lucas said.

"Yeah I do. I need to end things with Nathan and I have to tell him the truth, and I'd like him to just be angry with me and not with you. You two are finally beginning to act like brothers and I don't want you guys to ruin it on my account." Haley said.

"He's gonna be so pissed Haley, at both of us."

"We didn't do anything wrong. I'm going to try and get him to see that. Lucas you know I didn't mean for things to end up this way, I should never have gotten married. It was a stupid thing to do knowing how I feel about you. No matter how much I cared for Nathan, I just don't love him the way I love you." Haley said.

"Hales, it wouldn't have been right to for you to have waited around putting your life on hold while I come to my senses." Lucas said.

"I know." Haley said stroking his cheek, "but it would have been the one sure way no one would have gotten hurt."

"You would have." Lucas said taking her hand and kissing it.

"I'm not important." Haley said.

"You're important to me Haley." Lucas said.

She smiled and said, "I'll meet you later at the café okay?" she said.

"Alright." He said this time allowing her to go.

* * *

Haley left the house and walked back to the apartment, it was a good twenty minute walk but it gave her a chance to think. She could make it in ten, she was ready to move on ready to start over. She hadn't changed her mind about leaving Nathan, and she wasn't going to.

Finally she reached the apartment complex; she walked up that one flight of stairs to their apartment and unlocked the door using her key. She dropped her purse and jacket on the couch and continued through the small living room and into the bedroom.

Before she could even reach the open door, out of nowhere the tall shadowy figure of her husband loomed. She didn't remember it being so dark in their bedroom before.

"So you spent the night with Chris?" Nathan asked.

"No, crashed at Peyton's place." Haley lied easily.

"I guess you can't turn a whore into a housewife, I should have listened to my pops on that one." Nathan said taking sip of his bear.

Haley seethed with rage, "I am not a whore Nathan, I haven't cheated on you. At least not physically." She tried to side step him and get into the bedroom, but he pushed her up against the doorframe.

"I'm not stupid Haley! I know what you're doing with that Chris guy. I know about guys like that and I know about girls like you who can't resist guys like that." Nathan said.

"Let me go Nathan you're hurting me!" Haley said and Nathan only seemed to grip her arm tighter.

"Why should I? You surely don't care about hurting me." Nathan said.

"That's not true! I've done nothing but be a good woman to you, when everyone else thought you were this egotistical asshole I didn't."

He slapped her, she'd been steeling herself for it. Lately he'd always found some reason to hit her.

"Maybe I am an asshole." He said seizing her by the shoulders.

"Let me go Nathan!"

"Not until you tell me the truth." He tightened his grip and shook her hard.

"You're drunk."

Nathan laughed, "So what? You've been fucking Chris."

"I have not! You want to know the truth Nathan? I'm in love with Lucas I always have been." Haley said in an angry wail.

"Lucas! You've been with cheating on me with my own brother!" Nathan boomed throwing her back toward the living room.

Haley fell to her knees sobbing trying to scramble for the front door, "It wasn't like that Nathan and you know it."

"Oh really, Lucas can't make you feel the way I can Haley. No one can."

"You make me feel sick Nathan." She said.

He grabbed her by the hair and by her belt and spun her a bit before letting her go and causing her to fall backwards landing in the corner by the couch. She curled up hiding where he couldn't reach, he lunged for her a few times but left her alone and stumbled back toward the bedroom.

* * *

Not long after Haley left Karen came back into Lucas' room, "You are going after her aren't you? You know as well as I do that Nathan didn't go to school today and he's probably sitting at home still drunk waiting for her."

The thought had occurred to him, he got of bed tripping over his own shoes before finally putting them on.

"Let's go I'm driving." Karen said.

"What?" Lucas asked.

"You heard me I'm going too. I care about Haley; she's like the daughter that I never had to give birth to now go get in the car."

And thirty minutes later they arrived at Nathan and Haley's apartment. Lucas ran up the stairs with Karen on his heels. They could hear the noise that Haley and Nathan were making from the parking lot. There was an awful lot of yelling and a great deal of crying. Lucas knew it was only a matter of time before the police came.

He pushed open the unlocked door, to find Haley sitting in the corner curled up practically in the fetal position, she was sobbing loudly. Nathan was still ranting as he tore the place apart, throwing thing the living room was a wreck he didn't seem to notice or care that they had come in.

Lucas ran over to Haley, "Hales. What happened?" he asked.

She looked up at him and he finally saw that her lip was busted open and it was bleeding, her pretty face was further marred by a terrible black eye.

She didn't say anything she just carried on crying hysterically.

Lucas turned back to were Nathan was now throwing Haley's things out of the bedroom.

"You think you can just do that to me?" He said before coming face to face with Lucas.

"I suppose you're here to pick up the whore and take her to school," Nathan chuckled,

Something just snapped inside of Lucas, he tackled Nathan and proceeded to beat the living hell out of him. He was out of his mind.

"Luke, you're killing him!" his mother shrieked causing reality shift and come rushing back to Lucas.

Lucas didn't know he had beaten Nathan that badly, until Karen and Haley pulled him away.

"Hales." He said turning around.

"I'm okay Luke," Haley said new tears forming in her eyes.

"What?" Lucas asked, he took some deep breaths to calm himself; he didn't know why his heart was beating so fast or why his hands were so bloody.

"He's still alive." Karen reported.

"That's a good thing but we've got to go." Haley said.

"What happened?" he asked

"I don't know you were like a mad man, you beat Nathan to a pulp..." Karen explained.

He could hear the wail of the siren way off the day had been off to such a good start

"You don't remember what happened?" she asked.

"No…we came in and I saw you in the corner, did he do that to you?" Lucas asked as he started to fume with new rage he caressed the bruise on her cheek gently.

She nodded, "That's when you snapped Luke, I was sure you'd killed him."

"It makes me want to. He hurt you Hales, how long has he been hitting you?" he asked.

"He did sometimes when we were dating; this is the worst it's ever been though." She answered.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked.

"I was afraid that you'd do that." Haley said gesturing to the limp groaning barely conscious form of her husband lying on the floor.


End file.
